Mathieu Van Der Poel is facing a sweet dilemma. The 28-year-old cyclist from the Netherlands is undecided on which sport he should prioritize ahead of the upcoming Olympic games in Paris. While most athletes take a lifetime to establish their worth in a single sport, there is Poel. The cyclist has an unprecedented level of success in both road racing and mountain biking. 

Choosing one particular sport to aim for Olympic glory might be a bit difficult. In a recent interview, Poel expressed his concerns and was candid about his doubts about the Paris Olympics. 

Mathieu Van Der Poel has a choice to make

Speaking to Olympics.com at the Madrid Criterium, Poel spoke about his dilemma. He emphasized the fact that whatever sport he chooses, leaving out the other one would be hard. Poel also stated that if he wanted to have a go at the Tour De France, then chalking out the combinations would become even more complex. To quote the 28-year-old, “We still have to make the puzzle. It’s a really difficult combination, especially if you want to do the Tour de France as well. We have a few different scenarios on the table, but we have to see which one we’re going to choose. I’ll have to make choices, and I still have to think about it now.” 

As Poel went through the schedule, he pointed out that the MTB & the men’s road race will take place at an interval of just five days. Thus, it would be a much more convenient choice for Poel if he chose MTB first. Poel also emphasized putting in a lot more hard work if he chose MTB. Well, the champ himself is pretty confused, however, he has stellar records in both events!

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A true champ in every sense 

Poel debuted in the cyclo-cross in 2009-10 and, since then, has been in a role. He has won several accolades across all three disciplines which makes him an icon of the game. The 28-year-old won his first title in 2013, as he clinched the Junior Road Race World Championships in Florence. One of the biggest achievements of Poel includes the victory in Glasgow, where he won the 2023 World Road Race Championships. 

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Poel also made a lasting impact in MTB as he stood triumphant at the 2019 Cross Country Mountain Bike European Championships in Brno. After conquering at the international level, Poel came back to dominate at the national level too. He won the 2018 Dutch National Mountain Bike Cross-Country Championships. Poel is also a proud two-time winner of the Dutch National Road Race Championships held in 2018 and 2020, respectively. 

Apart from these accolades, the Dutch cyclist also wore the yellow Tour De France jersey after securing a stage in 2021. Thus, with so many spectacular achievements across various disciplines, it is very much justified for anyone to make a choice. However, as accomplished and composed an athlete as he is, we are definitely sure that he will make the right choice for himself and his fans.

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